---
kind: "section"
citation: "16 U.S.C. § 6411"
title: "16"
title_heading: "Conservation"
number: "6411"
heading: "Coral reef research"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/16/6411"
units:
  - "Chapter 83 — Coral Reef Conservation"
---

# §6411. Coral reef research

- (a) **Reef research coordination institutes—**
  - (1) **Establishment—** The [Administrator](/usc/16/6415.md?p=1) shall designate 2 reef research coordination institutes for the purpose of advancing and sustaining essential capabilities in [coral reef](/usc/16/6415.md?p=7) research, one each in the Atlantic and Pacific basins, to be known as the “Atlantic Reef Research Coordination Institute” and the “Pacific Reef Research Coordination Institute”, respectively.
  - (2) **Membership—** Each institute designated under [paragraph (1)](#a-1) shall be housed within a single [coral reef](/usc/16/6415.md?p=7) research center designated by the [Administrator](/usc/16/6415.md?p=1) under [subsection (b)](#b).
  - (3) **Functions—** The institutes designated under [paragraph (1)](#a-1) shall—
    - (A) conduct federally directed research to fill national and regional [coral reef ecosystem](/usc/16/6415.md?p=8) research gaps and improve understanding of, and responses to, continuing and emerging threats to the [resilience](/usc/16/6415.md?p=20) of United States [coral reef ecosystems](/usc/16/6415.md?p=8) consistent with the [National Coral Reef Resilience Strategy](/usc/16/6415.md?p=16);
    - (B) support ecological research and monitoring to study the effects of [conservation](/usc/16/6415.md?p=4) and [restoration](/usc/16/6415.md?p=19) activities funded by this chapter on promoting more effective [coral reef](/usc/16/6415.md?p=7) management and [restoration](/usc/16/6415.md?p=19); and
    - (C) through agreements—
      - (i) collaborate directly with [States](/usc/16/544.md?p=r), [covered Native entities](/usc/16/6415.md?p=10), covered [coral reef](/usc/16/6415.md?p=7) managers, [nonprofit organizations](/usc/16/6415.md?p=18), and other [coral reef](/usc/16/6415.md?p=7) research centers designated under [subsection (b)](#b);
      - (ii) assist in the development and implementation of—
        - (I) the [National Coral Reef Resilience Strategy](/usc/16/6415.md?p=16); and
        - (II) [coral reef](/usc/16/6415.md?p=7) action plans under [section 6404 of this title](/usc/16/6404.md);
      - (iii) build capacity within non-Federal governmental resource management agencies to establish research priorities and translate and apply research findings to management and [restoration](/usc/16/6415.md?p=19) practices; and
      - (iv) conduct public education and awareness programs for policymakers, resource managers, and the general public on—
        - (I) [coral reefs](/usc/16/6415.md?p=7) and [coral reef ecosystems](/usc/16/6415.md?p=8);
        - (II) best practices for [coral reef ecosystem](/usc/16/6415.md?p=8) management and [restoration](/usc/16/6415.md?p=19);
        - (III) the value of [coral reefs](/usc/16/6415.md?p=7); and
        - (IV) the threats to the sustainability of [coral reef ecosystems](/usc/16/6415.md?p=8).
- (b) **Coral reef research centers—**
  - (1) **In general—** The [Administrator](/usc/16/6415.md?p=1) shall—
    - (A) periodically solicit applications for designation of qualifying institutions in [covered States](/usc/16/6415.md?p=12) as [coral reef](/usc/16/6415.md?p=7) research centers; and
    - (B) designate all qualifying institutions in [covered States](/usc/16/6415.md?p=12) as [coral reef](/usc/16/6415.md?p=7) research centers.
  - (2) **Qualifying institutions—** For purposes of [paragraph (1)](#b-1), an institution is a qualifying institution if the [Administrator](/usc/16/6415.md?p=1) determines that the institution—
    - (A) is operated by an [institution of higher education](/usc/16/6415.md?p=14) or nonprofit marine research organization;
    - (B) has established management-driven national or regional [coral reef](/usc/16/6415.md?p=7) research or [restoration](/usc/16/6415.md?p=19) programs;
    - (C) has demonstrated abilities to coordinate closely with appropriate Federal and [State](/usc/16/6415.md?p=22) agencies, and other academic and [nonprofit organizations](/usc/16/6415.md?p=18); and
    - (D) maintains significant local community engagement and outreach programs related to [coral reef ecosystems](/usc/16/6415.md?p=8).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 106–562, title II, § 212, as added Pub. L. 117–263, div. J, title C, § 10001(a), Dec. 23, 2022, 136 Stat. 3945.)